Aurora nodded, her expression free of any resentment or bitterness toward Ste.


    "For now, that''s all we can do."


    She didn''t care that Ste had surpassed her in musical talent; music was never her true ambition.


    Simone understood this well. For Aurora, the violin was just a pastime.


    Her real focusy on the Williams Group.


    She asked, "How''s the situation with the original sharesing along?"


    At the mention of this, a hint of heaviness clouded Aurora''s face.


    "Not great. The group of founding shareholders at thepany refuse to sell, no matter what we offer."


    Simone paused, lowering her voice. "Have you tried other methods?"


    Aurora gave a slight nod. "Nothing''s worked. They''re stubborn to the core.


    My brother says we can''t push too hard until Nora''s shares are unfrozen. If we force their hand and things fall apart, we''ll lose more than we gain."


    Simone''s eyes flickered. "Those frozen shares-all reserved for Ste. What if Ste refuses to give them up? There must be plenty of people at the Williams Group rooting for her to take over, right?"


    Aurora replied, "Ste''s never studied business. Even if she joins the Williams Group, what could she really achieve? She''d just end up a puppet for the old guard.


    Besides, her career as a violinist is soaring right now..."


    She smiled faintly.


    "If she can beat me in an officialpetition, I''m sure she''ll find that much more satisfying."


    Simone blinked in surprise. "Aurora, you are you really okay with Ste beating you in public?"


    Aurora shrugged. "Why wouldn''t I be?"


    "But..."


    Aurora could guess what was on her mind. "Simone, if you want to aplish something big, you can''t get hung up on the little things. If you can''t swallow your pride now and then, you won''t get far."


    She fixed Simone with a steady gaze.


    "You can''t have it all in life, Simone. Sometimes you have to choose.


    Just look at what happened to Harry-he tried to grab everything, wanted too much, and it destroyed him."


    She reached over and picked up a folder from the table.


    "I think you''ll find this information interesting."


    Simone, curious, opened the folder.


    When she spotted Joshua''s name, her eyes widened. But as she read the investigation results, she froze.


    "Wait-Karl''s situation, and what happened to Harry... it was all Joshua?"


    Aurora nodded.


    Simone shook her head in disbelief. "But how could he possibly pull that off?"


    Aurora answered, "Nothing''s


    impossible. His background''s


    ybel


    always been a mystery, el


    more to him than meets the


    eye.


    You have good instincts, Simone."


    Simone''s expression gradually grew serious.


    “But... didn''t Sellers sayst time that Karl''s downfall was Ste''s doing?"


    Aurora smiled slightly. "I knew right away that couldn''t be true. If Ste


    was capable of that, Rachel wouldn''t have been able to keep her incheck all these years.


    Besides, Joshua didn''t bother to cover his tracks.


    Anyone willing to dig a little would find the truth."


    Simone frowned. “But when we visited Karl, he said it was Ste ruined him. The way he looked at


    tet


    who


    her with that kind of hatred, it didn''t seem fake."


    "Maybe that''s exactly what Sellers wanted him to believe," Aurora replied.


    Simone was sharp; she quickly grasped Sellers'' motives.


    She nced at Aurora, probing, "Did you warn Karl?"